The split between MLB and ESPN, which was announced Thursday, had been anticipated for months, if not years. Many in the sports media community found the news almost unavoidable, leading to reflections on the glory days of MLB on ESPN, including classics like Baseball Tonight and the frequent airing of games.
MLB and ESPN have mutually agreed to opt out of their seven-year, $550 million per year agreement after the 2025 season, which started in 2021. This decision signals the end of Sunday Night Baseball, the Home Run Derby, and ESPN Wild Card games.
Moreover, the iconic Baseball Tonight will also be discontinued. Despite having been reduced to a Sunday-only format since 2017, the show once captivated a generation of baseball fans. Recently, a viral video of ESPN’s Gary Striewski touring the old Baseball Tonight studios sparked nostalgia for those classic years.
For fans of Baseball Tonight, The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony” would have worked well as background music. https://t.co/DauBlaTAvn
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 19, 2025
Looking ahead, many in sports media are contemplating the implications of the MLB-ESPN split and the factors that led to it. ESPN believed it had overpaid for broadcast rights while MLB sought increased studio coverage. Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina speculated that this shift could lead MLB to sell Wild Card broadcasting rights to a streaming service.
Sunday Night Baseball is just whatever. What will be interesting is if MLB, with its older audience, will sell the wild-card round, which currently airs on ESPN, to a streaming service. https://t.co/BProk6XtaR
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) February 21, 2025
Overall, the response from many sports media figures appeared to be one of resignation, as they reflected on the long-standing and successful partnership between MLB and ESPN. Older fans fondly recall moments like when Dave Stewart and Fernando Valenzuela threw back-to-back no-hitters during an ESPN doubleheader on June 29, 1990, which marked MLB and ESPN’s inaugural season together.
Dave Stewart and Fernando Valenzuela on 6/29/90 throwing a no-hitter each on back-to-back telecasts on ESPN. I was there watching. pic.twitter.com/qTEDzikUyb
— X-avier (@JavWonderful) August 4, 2024
As a cornerstone of ESPN’s coverage, Baseball Tonight was a nightly ritual for fans, summarizing scores, showcasing live at-bats, discussing trades, and providing fantasy baseball stats at a time when dial-up Internet was yet to be a reality.
As the announcement sunk in, many sports media shared their nostalgic memories of MLB on ESPN:
Baseball Tonight was a regular, nightly program at one point. It was a must-watch for me as a kid – I remember following things like Gary Sheffield’s triple crown chase with the Padres via like look-ins – in addition to watching the live MLB broadcasts, which are ending soon ……
— Travis Sawchik (@Travis_Sawchik) February 21, 2025
The ESPN/MLB news is just sad. ‘Baseball Tonight’ was truly a joy and as exciting as anything I’d watch as a baseball fan in the ’90s. Trade deadline specials (when we didn’t have social media), even just stuff like All-Star week coverage… just wasn’t anything like it then.
— Matt Clapp (@TheBlogfines) February 21, 2025
The old Baseball Tonight of the ‘90s was so good. Just a perfect show. Along with baseball cards and box scores, it hooked you on the game. https://t.co/GQLRh3s05v
— jon greenberg (@jon_greenberg) February 21, 2025
As a longtime fan, tough for me to imagine MLB not being on ESPN, but here we are, with the two sides opting out of the final 3 years of that deal (2026, 2027, 2028), per @EvanDrellich. VERY surprising to see MLB torch a longtime media partner like that in a public letter
— Austin Karp (@AustinKarp) February 20, 2025
End of an era. My whole life era. No more MLB on ESPN. I now have ZERO reason to watch that network. Thanks Disney and ESPN for allowing this to happen.
— Chris DiFrancesco (@ChrisDiFran3) February 20, 2025
In summary, the consensus among many observers was that this outcome felt almost inevitable. The prime years of MLB on ESPN belong to the past.
